The present disclosure relates to a developing device, and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.
In an image forming apparatus using an electrophotography method such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine, a developing device supplies toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum, and the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum. As one of the methods for performing the developing operation, there is known a touchdown developing method, in which a two-component developer containing non-magnetic toner and magnetic carriers is used. In this configuration, a two-component developer layer (so-called magnetic brush layer) is formed on a magnetic roller. Toner is moved from the two-component developer layer to a developing roller to carry a toner layer. Conventionally, there is known a technique, in which a resin layer is formed on the surface of a developing roller. Further, there is known an immersion process (a dip process or a dipping process) of immersing a raw pipe of a developing roller in a resin solution in which a resin material is dissolved in advance in order to manufacture the developing roller.